Sourcing wooden embroidery hoops from China

UK duty and species checks

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 8 October 2026, heading 4421 covers other articles of wood. The residual wooden-article line and the bamboo line both carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension recorded on those lines. The table repeats the residual line for different hoop designs; these are product variants, not separate tariff subdivisions.

The residual line carries a CITES import control. Identify the wood species and confirm with your customs broker whether permits or other CITES documentation apply before shipment. Official guidance requires permits for listed species. The tariff also attaches an import prohibition concerning torture and repression goods, alongside cultural-object and torture-goods export controls. Ask your broker to confirm the relevance of these attached measures to your declaration.

Confirm the commodity code using the material, construction and intended use, particularly for kits containing fabric, needles or other components. The ironing-board trade remedy elsewhere in this heading is not recorded on the selected hoop lines. See the crochet hooks guide for the wider heading and the import duty and VAT guide for the calculation method. See our guide to sourcing wooden artists' easels. For wooden phone stands, see our wooden phone stand sourcing guide.

Specify the rings, finish and tightening screw

Specify the wood species, round or oval shape, usable opening, ring depth and thickness, joint construction and surface finish. State whether the hoop is for stitching or displaying finished work. Agree an approved sample with the intended fabric fitted, rather than judging an empty hoop.

Define the screw, nut and bracket material, plating and fastening method. Agree how firmly the rings should grip fabric without snagging it. Consumer hoops sold in Great Britain must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Keep records identifying your suppliers.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 2,000 wooden embroidery hoops; illustrative whole-pound values under 4421 99 99 99, invoiced at £3,500 free on board, with £1,120 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,620. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,620, so it is £924. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Ring fit: measure the opening and ring sections against the drawing; check roundness, matching inner and outer rings and any gaps at the joint.

Fabric grip: tighten the hoop around the agreed fabric, stitch and reposition it; check for slipping, snagging and marks from the finish.

Wood finish: inspect edges, joints and end grain for splinters, cracks, exposed glue and lifted laminations; rub with pale fabric to check colour transfer.

Hardware and packing: open and tighten the screw repeatedly; check stripped threads, loose brackets, sharp edges, rust, crushed rings and damp cartons. Use the inspection guide to agree the sampling and checks.

What goes wrong

Rings arrive ovalised or poorly matched, so fabric tension varies around the hoop. Rough joints catch thread, weak laminations separate during tightening, and short or damaged screw threads prevent a firm grip. Approve the assembled hoop with fabric fitted and compare production samples with it.

A factory may substitute the wood species or finish while keeping the same appearance. Record the agreed species and finish in the purchase specification, compare arrival stock with the approved sample and investigate any substitution before accepting it.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.